Medical Waste Disposal Burlington, VT

Medical and Biohazardous Waste Disposal Burlington, VT

Nicknamed “The West Coast of New England”, the city is arguably most well known for its dynamic ice-cream duo Ben and Jerry. Their frozen treats, which are now loved the world over, began life as a small enterprise operating out of a renovated Burlington gas station.

Burlington is an attractive city. The prosperity of the Victoria era left behind impressive architecture and in 2010 the city was ranked amongst Forbes magazines prettiest towns in America. The city recognizes the importance of keeping its environment healthy and in 2009 the Pine Street Barge Canal became the focus of a major cleanup under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Superfund program. The city has been recognized for high air quality and in 2015 Burlington also became the first city in the United States to be entirely powered by renewable energy.

Burlington holds the health of its citizens in similar high regard. The city has banned smoking within 25 feet of parks and recreational areas and has previously been rated the best city in the country to raise a family by Children’s Health Magazine. Burlington is home to University of Vermont Medical Center – the states largest hospital. With 92% of residents saying they are in good or great health, the city has demonstrated its appreciation for the people that live there. As such, proper medical waste disposal remains a priority and it is important for the city’s healthcare facilities to understand their responsibilities.

Managing Medical Waste In Burlington, VT

Vermont’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulate medical waste disposal in Burlington. Vermont is one of 24 states operating an OSHA approved occupational safety and health program. The OSHA defines regulated medical waste as waste generated in the medical industry that requires special handling and treatment prior to its disposal. In practical terms this includes pathological waste such as body parts removed during surgery, sharps waste such as used hypodermic needles, infectious agents and animal wastes such as carcasses.

The first step in managing your medical waste is proper segregation from ordinary garbage at the point of origin. This is not only a safety requirement, but it also a tool for waste minimization and pollution prevention. All medical waste must be stored appropriately. This means disposing of sharps directly into leak proof, rigid, puncture-resistant containers and sealed to prevent loss of contents. Other potentially infectious waste must be placed into red bags and clearly labeled with the words “Infectious” or “Biohazardous” and contain the International Biological Hazard Symbol.

Medical waste must be stored in such a way that affords it protection from interference from animals and the outside elements. Areas being used to store the waste must display a universal biohazard symbol and be locked at all times when not being accessed. Access must be restricted to only authorized personnel only. Storage areas must be kept clean and containers regularly inspected for damage or wear and tear. Compromised containers must be replaced.

Effective Disposal in “The West Coast of New England”

Effective medical waste treatment is an expensive process. Pathological waste must be incinerated at very high temperatures to ensure all bacteria are destroyed and the infectious potential removed. Certification and details of the treatment process as well as proof of the effectiveness must accompany each load of treated waste. Facilities wishing to operate a regulated medical waste treatment or transfer facility must obtain a solid waste management facility certification as required by the Vermont Solid Waste Management Rules. This makes treating your own waste “on-site” very expensive and is not a viable option for many healthcare providers. The physical space required for such infrastructure rules it out for smaller practices. For these reasons many facilities choose to employ the services of a biohazard waste disposal company to fulfill their treatment needs.

Transporters of medical waste must have a solid waste transporter permit and must ensure compliance with the following packaging requirements:

• All containers must be labeled with the name and address of the generator.
• Containers must not be leaking when shipped.
• Bulk containers, such as roll-off containers, are not permitted for transport of untreated medical waste.

Rules also specify the requirements for the type of transportation vehicles that may be used, the individual records of transportation that must be kept, and the annual registration fees that transporters are required to pay. Transporters are required to have automobile liability and pollution liability policies for the vehicles in their service. A good medical waste disposal company can relieve you of this hassle by providing compliant vehicles and appropriately trained personnel to transport your waste away for “off-site” treatment.

It is important to note that proper handling and disposal methods for home generators of medical waste are critical to minimize risks to public health and safety and to the environment. It may seem obvious, but sharps should be placed in a hard plastic, opaque container where they cannot prick a waste handler. Other medical wastes, like bandages and dressings, should be placed in a separate container and disposed of in the regular municipal waste (trash).

A Customized Medical Waste Disposal Plan For You

Here at MedPro Disposal we provide a customized medical waste pick-up and disposal service to healthcare facilities in Burlington, VT. We will listen to you and understand your needs before developing a flexible pick-up schedule. We offer a low cost alternative to other providers and will never sign you up for more services than you need.

Customer service is at the forefront of what we do. MedPro Disposal is ready to deliver, now and into the future. We will work with your organization to create a customized plan that will ensure your employees receive OSHA training that will keep them safe as they go about their work. For some smaller facilities our mail-back service can be an affordable solution for disposing of smaller quantities of waste. Whatever your requirements, we are here to partner with you and to remove the burden of medical waste disposal.